Tuesday, August 10, 2010

My husband and I just returned from celebrating our 30th Anniversary on The Carnival Glory New England/Canada cruise July 31- August 5 to St. Johns and Halifax. It was simply exquisite. Close to Home cruises are an economical way to save money on a vacation. Most of the cruisers we met were from the New York Tri-state area and either drove or took a Port Authority bus to the Pier. Parking is $30 a day which is really economical compared to paying airfare!
The weather cooperated with us. This year we had an unusually hot and humid summer this and it was a pleasure to escape to low humidity and temperatures in the low 70s - low 80s. We were told this was very unusual because the temperatures are usually a little lower and its often foggy. My umbrella never left my bag which I was very pleased about. I did carry a lightweight Jacket with me which was perfect.

On the Lido Deck passing under the Verrazano Bridge.

Cruisers were already enjoying the use of the pools and the Jacuzzis when we embarked on the ship. I was told that when the weather is inclement there is a covering over the pool which still allows Cruisers to take that daily dip.

Embarkation Day: Embarkation was pretty smooth. We encountered long lines at the check-in but the time went by quickly as conversed with the other excited Cruisers standing around us. Once we past check in we went straight to the Lido Deck Red Sail Restaurant to get some lunch. The food on this ship is a culinary dream!! That is all I can say. More about that later.
I have to mention the one part of the cruise that I don't like its the dreaded Mandatory Coast Guard Safety Drill. There is no getting around it. Once that torturous 20 minutes is over the FUN begins!!Gail's Tip: Be at the Pier early around 12 noon or so to avoid those long lines and get a good early start on your vacation. Its a good idea to pack your bathing suit, and other items you may need immediately in your carry-on bag as you wait for your luggage to be delivered to your Cabin.

Bon Voyage: The place to be when the Ship leaves Port is on the Lido Deck. That is where the Party really begins. I had my camera in hand as hubby and I took pictures of the New York skyline and Statue of Liberty and Ellis island as we sailed by. The ship went up in a collective "ohhhhh" of astonishment as we passed under the Verranzano Bridge. All during this time the DJ is playing music and people are doing the Electiric Slide and the Cha-Cha Slide and dancing away while others are taking in the sites.

Our cabin on the Carnival Glory

Our Ocean View Cabin was a very nice size and very comfortable. Wewere surprised when we entered the Cabin and found it to be decorated courtesy of Ann Sedgwick the Business Development Director from Carnival Cruise who works very closely with YTB Travel. It was nice to be able to look out the window during the Cruise.

Sitting Area of the Cabin.

Cruises are known for their cuisine and the Carnival Glory did not disappoint. We were assigned to the
Platinum Dining Room at 8:15pm. Our Waiter was Dickson from India. A real funny dude and a pretty good dancer as well we found out. But the dining highlight was our dinner at the Emerald Steakhouse on the actual night of our anniversary. Ahhhh what a experience to be wined and dined and called "Madame" and "Sir". The food was straight from heaven. My hubby had the lamb chops that melted in your mouth (you know I had to sample it) and I had the Lobster tail. I should have taken a picture of the presentation because they looked like photos. I recommend this experience to everyone. Its only $30 per person and it would cost way more in a similar restaurant in New York.
For breakfast and Lunch we ate on the Lido Deck at the Red Sail restaurant Buffet. One of the days there was the Chocolate Buffet for chocolate lovers. Have you ever had Chocolate cheese cake? Yummm...
Honorable mention to the Creams Cafe. A must stop if you are a StarBucks type lover. I loved their Lattes. Do NOT leave the ship until you try the famous Chocolate Melting cake after dinner in the dining room. It was heavenly! There is nothing more I can say about that! LOL.

Captain's Night was fun. We got to dress up and meet the crew, take some formal pictures. We met some great people. This is a highlight of every cruise.

Everynight we went to the Las Vegas Style show in the Amber Palace. It was like going out on a date every night after dinner. The costuming, staging, singing and dancing was top notch. My favorite night was when Justin the illusionist gave his show. All the standard tricks we see on TV in person, BUT its combined with music and dance which made it very unique. When this show was finished everyone was on their feet giving a standing ovation.

Hubby Singing Karoake

Carnival Glory is one of the first ships to roll out the Punchliner Comedy club. They have several shows, PG and an Adult Only. We went to the PG version. It was held in the Ebony Cabaret. I enjoyed it. There were several kids there and the comedy was very family friendly.

We spent 2 days in Port. First Port day was in St. Johns. There are several reasonably priced Excursions to take. We chose the Trolley which took us to the Reversing Falls and gave us a tour of Downtown Halifax. Some people chose just to walk around. and take in the sights by foot.
Second Port Day was in Halifax Nova Scotia. We originally planed to go to the Black History Tour but it was cancelled. It left a lot of disappointed people. However that disappointment did not last long when we took a visit to the famed Peggy's Cove. It was simply breathtaking! The second part of our Excursion was to the Fairlawn Cemetary to see the site where many of the Titanic victims were buried. There was parts of the Titanic story that I never knew. It was a great learning experience.

Here am I in front of the Reversing Falls in Halifax,

Gail's Tip- Take a Carnival Cruise endorsed excursion, as they make sure you are back to the ship on time. If you chose to go off on your own. Plan to be back at the ship at least one hour before you are scheduled. You don't want to miss the ship.

Last but not least is a shout out to the Cruise Director Jorge. He brings such excitement to the ship. He is obviously a comedian in a former life, and makes the most mundane and boring talks (like how to disembark) into his own private show. AND you definitely remember everything he said. Its so funny it sticks with you. This is the hardest working Crew in the world. The ship is white glove clean. A piece of lint don't stand a chance. They are constantly cleaning, fixing. EVERYONE greets you as you pass by.

I had a wonderful time on this cruise. There was never a time where there was nothing to do. I would highly recommend this Cruise to everyone. I noticed that there were several family reunions and Special interest Groups on this cruise. The ship has Private Rooms to hold special functions in. Something to think about for that next special family Event. The Carnival Glory New England/Canada Cruise from New York is a great way to economize on an all inclusive vacation and bypass the expense of Airfare for those who live close to New York.

***Gail is available to assist in booking your next Special cruise including your Group Cruise. Please feel free to fill out the form to the right. You can also call 646-450-MALL and leave a message.

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About Me

Welcome to my Life. Travel is a love of mine, and now that I no longer have young kids, I am making up for lost time. So I own a Travel business, Gail's Dream Vacations. Just recently we added Surge 365, aTravel Club that provides vacations at wholesale prices. Want to book a vacation? Want an EZ Travel Button? Want a Surge 365 Membership? Fill out the Contact form above and I will get right with you!